Friday, November 18, 2011

So last month Shawn Smith the creator of Shawnimals sent me one of his new products, the "Plushform" and asked me to customize it and join a troop of amazing artists for a show at OhNo!Doom gallery in Chicago.I'm hearing more people ask how I made the helmet so I threw together this blog post to hopefully explain it a little.

STEP 1: find helmet parts-----> Stroll into the ol' Salvation Army and find a clear soup ladle to turn into a helmet. (yes the clear part of the helmet is a centuries old, scratched up, diseased old soup ladle)STEP 2: build helmet structure-Broke the ladle ----> taped up Plushform head------> used paperclay to shape helmet around the plush's head.------> To ensure stability of helmet and that the hardened clay around the plastic would stay in place the entire thing was coated with GOLDEN gel medium (it hardens like plastic).STEP 3: Start adding details------> with a solid helmet structure that fits on the plush's head dry it was on to building up details using more paperclay... but wait..out of paperclay. ---> no art stores in the area have any more -----> continue using DAS instead (DAS is much easier to find, but not as easy to blend pieces of clay together, much heavier and harder to wash off...but still works well)STEP 4: Finish Helmet structure------> The helmet still needed more of a finished shape. ------> attached an old cut cable around to the front for an oxygen tube, tape held it in place as the gel medium dried for a permanent hold.------> For the tanks on the a toilet paper roll cut in half and stuffed with newspaper worked perfectly. (They were attached with clay through the middle of the tubes onto the helmet structure and dried out a day before moving on)STEP 5: how to display a plush doll that has no feet and a very heavy head?------> That's when it hit me, let nothing go to waste! I decided to use the ladle handle that was already discarded as a way to prop up the doll so it stands by itself. ---> one day, carve out channel for ladle handle to be glued in, then superglue in place and fill with gel medium. ----> day two, medium is dry-add clay over the top to seal and let dry a few more days (would probably dry twice as fast if it was summer)CONTINUED: To see the rest, click "older post" on the very bottom, on the right.

Shirts, Shoes, Paintings, Custom Toys, and Character design all by the visual artist "THE_JCW"

You're looking at the updating blog of "theJCW" a visual artist whose work has been printed on more than 2 dozen commercial products. Follow this blog to see new paintings, shirt designs, current character designs,occasional giveaways and fun offers. ~below are links to shirt designs still available for purchase.